Ted Cruz calls for halt on accepting Syrian refugees

Ted Cruz on Tuesday called for a freeze on any new refugees from areas affected by Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. He also called for new powers for law enforcement to patrol “Muslim neighborhoods.”

“We need to immediately halt the flow of refugees from countries with a significant Al Qaida or ISIS presence,” the Texas senator said in a statement. “We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized.”

Those organizations active in Syria, Iraq and many other countries in the Middle East, central Asia and Africa.

Cruz’s comments come after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks in Brussels. A series of explosions at an airport and metro station have resulted in at least 31 deaths, and more than 170 people sustained injuries.

The Republican presidential candidate said Western countries can no longer deny that radical Islamic terrorism exists. “Our European allies are now seeing what comes of a toxic mix of migrants who have been infiltrated by terrorists and isolated, radical Muslim neighborhoods,” he said.

Cruz said the U.S. should secure its southern border to stop terrorists from flowing in and called on the country to “execute a coherent campaign to utterly destroy ISIS.”

“The days of the United States voluntarily surrendering to the enemy to show how progressive and enlightened we are at an end,” he said. “Our country is at stake.”